I Just Realized Where I Know 'The Waterfront' Star Danielle Campbell from—And I'm Shocked I Didn't Realize Sooner

She's got quite the resume

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Netflix

Okay, okay, I’m officially obsessed with The Waterfront.

In case you haven’t heard, the show has been a hit on Netflix, causing an endless amount of chatter among viewers. A thriller series set in the fictional town of Havenport, North Carolina, it stars Holt McCallany, Maria Bello and Topher Grace, and features a riveting plotline surrounding the Buckleys—a family of fishermen battling with secrets, betrayal, greed and addiction. There’s one character, in particular, that I couldn't help but feel like I had seen before in other shows and movies: Danielle Campbell. Campbell portrays Peyton Buckley, a southern debutante deeply in love with her husband, Cane, but who is concerned about the direction of their relationship as he sinks deeper into the family's life of crime.

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Netflix

The 30-year-old was first discovered at the age of 10 at a hair salon in Chicago, landing her a major role in the 2010 Disney Channel movie Starstruck. Three years later, Campbell nabbed the role that made her look so familiar to me: Davina Claire in The CW’s The Originals, the spinoff to the popular The Vampire Diaries. In the series, which ran for five seasons, Campbell portrayed a young, powerful witch. Throughout the 2010s, Campbell would also make appearances in the 2018 film Ghost Light and the series Tell Me a Story, where she had a recurring role. She also booked a recurring role in the 2024 series The Rookie.

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Netflix

Back to The Waterfront, the actress spoke with US Weekly ahead of the premiere about working with show creator Kevin Williamson. "Honestly, every time I get to talk about Kevin and any of his projects, I'm thrilled, because I admire him in so many ways," she told the publication, adding, "He's just a master artist. He crosses so many genres, and that's something that I really admire about his work."

I totally understand why she looked so familiar now. I can’t wait to see her in more projects.

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Jael Rucker

Associate Commerce Strategist

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